Measuring transducer of vibration-type

ABSTRACT

The measuring transducer includes a transducer housing, as well as an internal part arranged in the transducer housing. The internal part includes at least one curved measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying the medium, as well as a counteroscillator affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet-side, accompanied by formation of a coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on the outlet-side, accompanied by the formation of a coupling zone. The internal part is held oscillatably in the transducer housing, at least by means of two connecting tube pieces, via which the measuring tube communicates during operation with the pipeline and which are so oriented with respect to one another, as well as with respect to an imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, that the internal part can move during operation in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis. Counteroscillator of the measuring transducer of the invention is formed by means of two counteroscillator plates, of which a first counteroscillator plate is arranged on the left side of the measuring tube and a second counteroscillator plate is arranged on the right side of the measuring tube.

This application is a nonprovisional application based on U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/752,372, filed on Dec. 22, 2005, and U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/752,374, filed on Dec. 22, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a measuring transducer of vibration-type,especially one for use in a Coriolis mass flow meter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For determining a mass flow of a medium flowing in a pipeline,especially a liquid or other fluid, often such measuring devices areused which, by means of a measuring transducer of vibration-type and acontrol and evaluation electronics connected thereto, effect in thefluid Coriolis forces and, derived from these forces, produce ameasurement signal representing mass flow.

Such measuring transducers, especially also their use in Coriolis massflow meters, have been known already for a long time and are inindustrial use. Thus e.g. EP-A 11 30 367, US-A 2005/0139015, U.S. Pat.No. 6,666,098, U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,902, U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,668, U.S.Pat. No. 6,308,580, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,754, U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,009 orU.S. Pat. No. 5,287,754 describe Coriolis mass flow meters having, ineach case, a measuring transducer of vibration-type, which measuringtransducer reacts to a mass flow of a medium flowing in a pipeline andincludes a transducer housing as well as an internal part arranged inthe transducer housing. The internal part includes: At least one curvedmeasuring tube vibrating during operation, at least at times, andserving for conveying the medium; as well as a counteroscillator affixedon the inlet end to the measuring tube for forming a first coupling zoneand at the outlet end to the measuring tube for forming a secondcoupling zone. The counteroscillator essentially rests during operation,or it oscillates essentially equally-oppositely to the measuring tube,thus with equal frequency and opposite phase. The internal part isadditionally held oscillatably in the transducer housing, at least bymeans of two connecting tube pieces, via which the measuring tubecommunicates with the pipeline during operation.

Curved, e.g. U, V or Ω shaped, vibrating measuring tubes can, as isknown, when excited to bending oscillations according to a firsteigenoscillation form, effect Coriolis forces in the medium flowingtherethrough. Selected as a first eigenoscillation form of the measuringtube in the case of such measuring transducers is usually thateigenoscillation form wherein the measuring tube moves in the manner ofa pendulum at a lowest natural resonance frequency about an imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring transducer in the manner of acantilever clamped at one end. The Coriolis forces produced in this wayin the medium flowing therethrough lead, in turn, thereto, that theexcited pendulum-like, cantilever oscillations of the so-called wantedmode are superimposed with bending oscillations according to at leastone second eigenoscillation form of equal frequency. In the case ofmeasuring transducers of the described kind, these cantileveroscillations compelled by Coriolis forces correspond to the so-calledCoriolis mode, usually that eigenoscillation form at which the measuringtube also executes rotary oscillations about an imaginary vertical axisperpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Due to the superimposing ofwanted and Coriolis modes, the oscillations of the measuring tuberegistered by means of the sensor arrangement at the inlet and outletends exhibit a measurable phase difference as a function also of themass flow.

Frequently, the measuring tubes of such measuring transducers, e.g.installed in Coriolis mass flow meters, are excited during operation toan instantaneous resonance frequency of the first eigenoscillation form,especially at an oscillation amplitude regulated, or controlled, to aconstant level. Since this resonance frequency, especially also, dependson the instantaneous density of the fluid, it is possible, e.g. in thecase of usual commercially available Coriolis mass flow meters, also tomeasure, besides the mass flow, also the density of flowing fluids.

An advantage of a curved tube shape is that e.g. thermally relatedchanges in length, especially also in the case of the use of measuringtubes having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, cause practicallyno, or only very small, mechanical stresses in the measuring tube itselfand/or in the connected pipeline. A further advantage of curvedmeasuring tubes is, however, to be seen in the fact that the measuringtube can be made relatively long and consequently a high sensitivity ofthe measuring tube can be achieved for the mass flow to be measured at arelatively short installed length and at relatively low exciter energy.These circumstances make it possible also to manufacture the measuringtube of materials of high coefficient of thermal expansion and/or highmodulus of elasticity, i.e. materials such as e.g. stainless steel. Incomparison thereto, in the case of measuring transducers ofvibration-type having straight measuring tubes, the measuring tube isusually made of a material having at least a lower coefficient ofthermal expansion and, as required, also a lower modulus of elasticitythan stainless steel, in order to prevent axial stresses and achieve asufficient sensitivity of measurement. Consequently, for this case,measuring tubes are preferably of titanium or zirconium, which are,however, on the basis of the higher cost of material and the usuallyalso higher processing expense, much more expensive than those ofstainless steel. Additionally, a measuring transducer with a singlemeasuring tube has, as is known, compared to one with two measuringtubes flowed through in parallel, the additional great advantage thatdistributor pieces serving for the connecting of the measuring tubeswith the pipeline are not necessary. Such distributor pieces are on theone hand complicated to manufacture and on the other hand also representflow bodies having a marked inclination for the formation of accretionsor for plugging.

Due to the mostly rather narrow band width of counteroscillators in thewanted mode, measuring transducers with a single curved measuring tubehave, however, often for applications where density of the mediumfluctuates over a wide range, especially also in comparison to suchmeasuring transducers with two parallel measuring tubes, thedisadvantage that, as a result of the imbalance of the internal partfluctuating with the density, the zero point of the measuring transducerand consequently also the measuring accuracy of the respective inlinemeasuring device can equally fluctuate significantly and as, a result,can be correspondingly decreased. This is a result of, among otherthings, that also by means of the usually single counteroscillator,transverse forces can only be incompletely neutralized and, therefore,only incompletely kept away from the connected pipeline. Such transverseforces are induced in the measuring transducer due to alternating ended,lateral movements of the single measuring tube conveying the medium andare rather broadbanded as a result of strongly fluctuating mediumdensities, in comparison to the counterforces arising on the basis ofthe counteroscillator. The residual transverse forces can, in turn, leadto the fact that the above mentioned, internal part, moving, as a whole,in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer, begins also to oscillate laterally. These lateraloscillations of the internal part produce, correspondingly, also anadditional elastic deformation of the connecting tube piece and can inthis way effect also undesirable vibrations in the connected pipeline.Moreover, on the basis of such lateral oscillations of the internalpart, it is also possible to provoke also cantilever oscillations in themeasuring tube through which the fluid is not flowing. These are verysimilar to the Coriolis mode and, in any event, however, of equalfrequency and consequently practically indistinguishable from theCoriolis mode, which, in turn, would make the measuring signalrepresenting the actual mass flow unusable.

This arises also in the case of measuring transducers which areimplemented according, for example, to the principle proposed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,705,754 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,754. In the case of measuringtransducers described there, the transverse forces produced by, or onthe part of, the vibrating, single measuring tube and which are rathermid or high frequency oscillatory forces, are attempted to be kept awayfrom the pipeline by means of a single counteroscillator, which israther heavy in comparison to the measuring tube and in any event istuned to a higher frequency in comparison to the measuring tube, and, asrequired, by means of a relatively soft coupling of the measuring tubeto the pipeline, thus, essentially by means of a mechanical low pass.Unfortunately, in this case, however, the mass of the counteroscillatorrequired for achieving a sufficiently robust damping of the transverseforces rises more than proportionately with the nominal diameter of themeasuring tube. This represents a great disadvantage for such measuringtubes of high nominal diameter, since a use of such components of highmass means, namely, always an increased cost of assembly, both in themanufacture, as well as also in the case of the installing of themeasuring device into the pipeline. Moreover, in this case, it is onlypossible to assure, at great complexity, that the smallesteigenfrequency of the measuring transducer which, yes, also does becomealways lower with increasing mass, lies, after as before, very far fromthe likewise low eigenfrequencies of the connected pipeline.Consequently, a use of such a measuring transducer in industriallyusable, inline measuring devices of the described kind, for example,Coriolis mass flow measuring devices, has long been rather limited torelatively low measuring-tube nominal diameters up to about 10 mm.Measuring transducers of the above described kind are moreover also soldon the part of the assignee itself under the mark “PROMASS”, seriesdesignation “A”, for a nominal diameter range of 1-4 mm and have proventhemselves there, especially also in the case of applications with verylow flow rates and/or high pressure.

In contrast, in the case of measuring transducers shown in U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098, U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,902, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,009, the two,here essentially straight, connecting tube pieces are so oriented withrespect to one another, as well as with respect to an imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring tube, that the internal part, formedby means of the measuring tube and counteroscillator, as well as theoscillation exciters and oscillation sensors correspondingly appliedthereto, can move, during operation, in a pendulum-like manner about thelongitudinal axis. In other words, the entire internal part can executependulum oscillations during operation about the longitudinal axis L,conditioned on the, especially, density-dependent imbalances betweenmeasuring tube 10 and counteroscillator 20, which, depending on the wayin which the imbalance shows itself, are of equal phase with thecantilever oscillations of the measuring tube 10 or of thecounteroscillator 20. In such case, the torsional stiffnesses of theconnecting tube pieces are preferably so tuned to one another and to theinternal part carried by the two, that the internal part is suspendedessentially rotationally softly about the longitudinal axis.

This is achieved, for example, in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098,in such a manner that the torsional stiffness of the connecting tubepieces is so dimensioned that a respective eigenfrequency of a torsionaloscillator inherently formed on the inlet end and on the outlet end bymeans of the respective connecting tube pieces and associated terminalmass fractions of the internal part which can be considered asessentially rigid and stable in form and oscillating about thelongitudinal axis rotationally, lies in each case in the region of theoscillation frequency of the measuring tube oscillating in the wantedmode. Additionally, at least in the case of the measuring transducerproposed in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098, measuring tube andcounteroscillator are so tuned to one another that they oscillate atleast in the wanted mode with approximately equal resonance frequency.Measuring transducers of the described kind are, furthermore, also soldby the assignee itself under the mark “PROMASS”, series designation “H”,for a nominal diameter range of 8-50 mm and have proven themselvesthere, especially also in the case of applications exhibiting a variabledensity of the medium to a considerable degree during operation. Thependulum-like movement of the internal part is, in this way, especiallydeveloped, or at least favored, such that both a measuring-tube centerof mass spaced from the imaginary longitudinal axis, as well as also acenter of mass of the counteroscillator spaced from the imaginarylongitudinal axis, lie in a common region of the measuring transducerspanned by the imaginary longitudinal axis and the measuring tube.However, investigations have in the meantime shown that the zero pointof measuring transducers of the named kind can be subject, at very lowmass flow rates and media deviating as to density considerably from thecalibrated reference density, after, as before, to considerablefluctuations. Experimental investigations on measuring transducersconfigured according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098, for which, as proposed,a relatively heavy counteroscillator has been used, have, it is true,led to the recognition that, in this way, there is quite a certainimprovement of the null point stability and, as a result, an improvementof the measuring accuracy of inline measuring devices of the describedkind, but, however, this has been achieved only to an unsatisfactorydegree. In any case, in the configurations proposed in U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098, a significant improvement of the measuring accuracy isessentially achievable only in the face of having to accept the alreadydiscussed disadvantages as discussed with reference to U.S. Pat. No.5,705,754 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,754.

As disadvantageous for possible improvements of the dynamic oscillatorycharacteristics in the case of the measuring transducers disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098 has been the more complicated structure of theinternal part. This, especially, beecause it involves a number ofadditional, separate components serving at added masses. These arecomplex, both in their manufacture and in their subsequent assembly.And, they serve, in such case, essentially only as simple mass foradjusting mass and/or mass distribution of the internal part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention, therefore, is to improve the mechanicalstructure of measuring transducers of the described kind toward the goalthat their internal part can be constructed of comparatively fewseparate components and, as a result, can exhibit a low complexity. Inspite of this, it should be enabled that the measurement pickup is, onthe one hand, dynamically well balanced over a wide range of densitiesof the medium and, on the other hand, is, in spite of this, as incomparison to the measuring transducers proposed in U.S. Pat. No.5,705,754 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,754, of lower mass. Especially in suchcase, the compensating principle proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098,with the terminal, inherent torsional oscillators tuned essentially tothe wanted frequency of the measuring tube and counteroscillator tunedto the wanted frequency, can be effectively applied after as before.

For achieving the object, the invention resides in a measuringtransducer of vibration-type for a medium flowing in a pipeline. Themeasuring transducer includes a transducer housing, as well as aninternal part arranged in the transducer housing. The internal partincludes at least one curved measuring tube for conveying the medium.The measuring tube vibrates, at least at times, during operation. Theinternal part further includes a counteroscillator affixed to themeasuring tube at its inlet end for forming a first coupling zone andaffixed to the measuring tube at its outlet end for forming a secondcoupling zone. The internal part is oscillatably held in the transducerhousing by means of at least two connecting tube pieces. The at leasttwo connecting tube pieces, via which the measuring tube alsocommunicates, during operation, with the pipeline, are oriented withrespect to one another, as well as with respect to an imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, such that the internalpart can move in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis Lduring operation. Additionally, it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube, and that the counteroscillatoris formed by means of at least two counteroscillator plates, of which afirst counteroscillator plate is arranged to the left side of themeasuring tube and the second counteroscillator plate is arranged to theright side of the measuring tube.

In a first embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube and that each of the at leasttwo counteroscillator plates has a curved centroidal line imaginarilyextending between a contour line distal with respect to the longitudinalaxis and a contour line proximal with respect to the longitudinal axis.In a further development of this embodiment of the invention, it isprovided that the counteroscillator is formed by means ofcounteroscillator plates arranged laterally to the measuring tube andthat the centroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillatorplates has a concave extent with reference to the longitudinal axis, atleast in the region of a middle section. In another further developmentof this embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube and that the centroidal line ofeach of the at least two counteroscillator plates has, in each case, aconvex extent with reference to the longitudinal axis, at least in theregion of the coupling zones. Further, it is provided that thecentroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates isformed essentially with U, or V, shape, at least in the region of amiddle section of the counteroscillator, and/or that the centroidal lineof each of the at least two counteroscillator plates extends essentiallyparallel to a measuring tube centroidal line extending imaginarilywithin its lumen.

In a second embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube and that each of the at leasttwo counteroscillator plates has an external, lateral surface, of whicha first edge is formed by an edge providing a contour distal withrespect to the longitudinal axis and a second edge is formed by an edgeproviding a contour proximal with reference to the longitudinal axis. Ina further development of this embodiment of the invention, it isprovided that each of the at least two counteroscillator plates is soformed and placed in the measuring transducer that both the distal, aswell as the proximal, contour-providing edges of each of the at leasttwo counteroscillator plates has a separation from the longitudinal axisdifferent from zero, at least in a middle section of thecounteroscillator. In such case, each of the at least twocounteroscillator plates can be so formed that, at least in the regionof the middle section of the counteroscillator, a local plate height issmaller than, in each case, in the region of the two coupling zones,wherein the local plate height thereat is, in each case, a smallestdistance between the distal, and the proximal, contour-providing edgesof each of the at least two counteroscillator plates. Further, it isprovided that each of the at least two counteroscillator plates is soformed that it has in the region of the middle section of thecounteroscillator a smallest plate height and/or that the plate heightof each of the at least two counteroscillator plates decreases, in eachcase, starting from a coupling zone and proceeding to the middle sectionof the counteroscillator, especially monotonically or continuously.

In a third embodiment of the invention it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube and that each of the at leasttwo counteroscillator plates has a bow, or hanger, contour.

In a fourth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecounteroscillator is formed by means of counteroscillator platesarranged laterally to the measuring tube and that each of the at leasttwo plates forming the counteroscillator is arranged essentiallyparallel to the measuring tube.

In a fifth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that measuringtube and counteroscillator are so formed and so oriented with respect toone another that both a measuring tube center of mass spaced from theimaginary longitudinal axis and also a counteroscillator center of massspaced from the imaginary longitudinal axis lie in a common region ofthe measuring transducer spanned by the imaginary longitudinal axis andthe measuring tube. Furthermore, measuring tube and counteroscillatorare so formed and so oriented with respect to one another that thecenter of mass of the measuring tube is additionally farther from thelongitudinal axis than the center of mass of the counteroscillator. In afurther development of this embodiment of the invention, it is providedthat each of the aforementioned centers of mass has a separation fromthe imaginary longitudinal axis greater than 10% of a greatestseparation between measuring tube and imaginary longitudinal axis and/orsmaller than 90% of a greatest separation between measuring tube andimaginary longitudinal axis. In another further development of thisembodiment of the invention, it is provided that each of theaforementioned centers of mass has a separation from the imaginarylongitudinal axis which is greater than 30 mm and/or that a ratio of theseparation of each of the aforementioned centers of mass to a diameterof the measuring tube is, in each case, greater than one. Especially,the ratio of the separation of each of the aforementioned centers ofmass to a diameter of the measuring tube can be kept, in each case,greater than two and smaller than ten.

In a sixth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a diameterof the measuring tube is greater than 1 mm and smaller than 100 mm.

In a seventh embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thelongitudinal axis of the measuring tube imaginarily connects the twocoupling zones together.

In a eighth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that thecounteroscillator has a mass which is greater than a mass of themeasuring tube. In a further development of this embodiment of theinvention, it is provided that a ratio of the mass of thecounteroscillator to the mass of the measuring tube is greater than two.

In an ninth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that themeasuring tube is essentially provided in U, or V, form.

In a tenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that themeasuring tube and counteroscillator are connected mechanically togetheron the inlet side by means of at least a first coupler and on the outletside by means of at least a second coupler.

In an eleventh embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theconnecting tube pieces have essentially straight tube segments. In afurther development of this embodiment of the invention, it is providedthat the connecting tube pieces are so oriented with respect to oneanother that the tube segments extend essentially parallel to theimaginary longitudinal axis. In such case, the connecting tube piecescan be so oriented with respect to one another that the essentiallystraight tube pieces align essentially with one another and/or with theimaginary longitudinal axis.

In a twelfth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that themeasuring tube executes during operation, at least at times, bendingoscillations relative to the counteroscillator and relative to thelongitudinal axis.

In a thirteenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided thatmeasuring tube and counteroscillator execute, during operation, at leastat times, and at least in part, bending oscillations of equal frequency,about the longitudinal axis. According to a further development of thisembodiment of the invention, it is additionally provided that these aresuch bending oscillations about the longitudinal axis which are, atleast in part, out of phase with one another, especially essentially ofopposite phase.

In a fourteenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theinternal part held oscillatably in the housing of the transducer has anatural lateral oscillation mode in which it oscillates during operationin accordance with deformations of the two connecting tube pieces, atleast at times, relative to the transducer housing and laterally aboutthe longitudinal axis.

In a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theinternal part held oscillatably in the transducer housing has anoscillation mode in the manner of a pendulum in which it moves duringoperation in accordance with deformations of the two connecting tubepieces, at least at times, about the imaginary longitudinal axis with apendulum-like motion. According to a further development of thisembodiment of the invention, it is further provided that at least onenatural eigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillation mode is smallerthan a lowest oscillation frequency with which the measuring tubeinstantaneously vibrates and/or that at least an instantaneous naturaleigenfrequency of the oscillation mode in the manner of a pendulum isalways smaller than an instantaneous lowest natural eigenfrequency ofthe measuring tube.

In a sixteenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theinternal part held oscillatably in the transducer housing has both anoscillation mode in the manner of a pendulum in which it moves in apendulum-like manner during operation in accordance with deformations ofthe two connecting tube pieces, at least at times, about the imaginarylongitudinal axis and also a natural lateral oscillation mode in whichit, during operation, oscillates in accordance with deformations of thetwo connecting tube pieces, at least at times, relative to thetransducer housing and laterally about the longitudinal axis and thatthe lateral oscillation mode of the internal part has a lowesteigenfrequency which is greater than a lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillation mode of the internal part. In a furtherdevelopment of this embodiment of the invention, it is further providedthat a ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateral oscillationmode of the internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part is greater than 1.2and/or that a ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateraloscillation mode of the internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part is smaller than10. Especially, the aforementioned ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe lateral oscillation mode of the internal part to the lowesteigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillation mode of the internalpart can in such case be maintained greater than 1.5 and smaller than 5.

In a seventeenth embodiment of the invention, it is provided that theinternal part held oscillatably in the transducer housing has apendulum-like oscillation mode in which it moves in the manner of apendulum during operation in accordance with deformations of the twoconnecting tube pieces, at least at times, about the imaginarylongitudinal axis and that at least one natural eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillation mode of the internal part is smaller than alowest oscillation frequency with which the measuring tubeinstantaneously vibrates and/or that at least one instantaneous naturaleigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internalpart is always smaller than an instantaneous lowest naturaleigenfrequency of the measuring tube. In a further development of thisembodiment of the invention, it is provided that a ratio of the lowesteigenfrequency of the measuring tube to the lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part is greater than 3and/or is smaller than 20. Especially, the ratio of the lowesteigenfrequency of the measuring tube to the lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part can be in such casegreater than 5 and smaller than 10.

In an eighteenth embodiment of the measuring transducer of theinvention, such further includes an exciter mechanism for causingmeasuring tube and counteroscillator to vibrate.

In a nineteenth embodiment of the measuring transducer of the invention,such further includes a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations,at least of the measuring tube. In a further development of thisembodiment of the invention, it is provided that the sensor arrangementfor registering oscillations of the measuring tube includes at least afirst sensor arranged on the inlet side at the measuring tube, as wellas a second sensor arranged on the inlet side at the measuring tube.Additionally, it can be of advantage, when the sensor arrangement forregistering oscillations of the measuring tube includes, further, atleast a third sensor arranged on the inlet side at the measuring tube,as well as a fourth sensor arranged on the outlet side at the measuringtube. This, especially also then, when the first sensor is arrangedopposite to the third sensor at the measuring tube, and the secondsensor is arranged opposite to the fourth sensor at the measuring tube.

A basic idea of the invention is, especially also in contrast to themeasuring transducers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098, to constructthe counteroscillator of plates arranged laterally to the measuring tobe and, by a suitable shaping, to enable a tuning of thecounteroscillator to the wanted frequency of the measuring tube, as wellas also enabling the masses, mass distributions and mass moments ofinertia required for the decoupling mechanism proposed in U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098. Additionally, it is possible, especially due to the use ofcounteroscillator plates having, on the one hand, an essentiallyhanger-shaped contour, and, on the other hand, a plate height taperingin the direction toward the middle, to tune the counteroscillator, and,as a result, also the internal part, very simply both as regards massdistributions and as well as also largely independently as regards theaforementioned eigenfrequencies. Moreover, it is possible, so, toconstruct the terminal, torsional oscillators as integral components ofthe internal part required for the decoupling mechanism and, in suchcase, to tune largely independently of the aforementioned criteria.

As a result, the principle of compensation proposed in U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098 can not only be further put into practice, but also furtherimproved, in the respect that the counteroscillator can be embodied notonly somewhat heavier but also especially somewhat more bending, andtwisting, stiffer. Further, it was possible already at a comparativelysmall increase in mass in the order of magnitude of about ten percent toachieve an improvement of the sensitivity of more than 50% in comparisonwith the above mentioned measuring transducer of type “PROMASS H” and,as a result, also a corresponding improvement of the measurementaccuracy. Especially, it was possible, besides the improvement of thedensity-dependent, zero point influenceability, even in the case oflarge deviation from the calibrated reference density of the measuringtransducer, also to detect a considerable improvement of the accuracy ofmeasurement of the inline measuring device in the case of small flowrates.

The measuring transducer of the invention distinguishes itselffurthermore by the fact that, in the use of a counteroscillator of theaforedescribed kind with correspondingly higher mass, the two connectingtube pieces can, without more, be kept correspondingly short, and,consequently, also an installed total length of the measuring transducercan be significantly decreased, while maintaining an essentiallyconstant, high quality of the dynamic oscillation decoupling. Moreover,the measuring transducer can be embodied, despite its short installedlength, after as before, relatively lightly.

In the following, the invention and further advantages will be explainedon the basis of an example of an embodiment presented in the figures ofthe drawing. Equal parts are provided in the figures with equalreference characters. In case conducive to overviewability, alreadymentioned reference characters are omitted in subsequent figures. Thefigures of the drawing show as follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a is a side view, of an inline measuring device for media flowingin pipelines;

FIG. 1 b is a front view of the inline measuring device of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 is a, in perspective view, of a measuring transducer ofvibration-type suitable for an inline measuring device according toFIGS. 1 a, and 1 b;

FIG. 3 is partially sectioned view, of the measuring transducer of FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned view of the measuring transducer of FIG.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit theinvention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, theintention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternativesfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theintended claims.

Shown in FIGS. 1 a, b is an inline measuring device, for example, oneembodied as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, density measuringdevice, viscosity measuring device, or the like, installable into apipeline, for example, a process line of an industrial plant. The inlinemeasuring device serves for measuring and/or monitoring at least oneparameter, for example, a mass flow, a density, viscosity, etc., of amedium flowing in a pipeline. The inline measuring device includes, forsuch purpose, a measuring transducer of vibration-type, through which,during operation, a medium to be measured flows. FIGS. 2 and 3 show,schematically, a corresponding example of an embodiment for such ameasuring transducer of vibration-type. The principle mechanicalconstruction, and the manner in which such operates, is, for the mostpart, quite comparable with that of the measuring transducer disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098. The measuring transducer serves forproducing in a medium flowing therethrough mechanical reaction forces,e.g. mass flow dependent, Coriolis forces, density dependent, inertialforces and/or viscosity dependent, frictional forces, which reactmeasurably, especially sensorially registerably, on the measuringtransducer. Derived from these reaction forces, it is possible, in themanner known to those skilled in the art, to measure e.g. a mass flow m,a density ρ and/or a viscosity η of the medium. The measuring transducerincludes for such purpose a transducer housing 100, as well as aninternal part arranged in the transducer housing 100 for actuallyeffecting the physical-to-electrical converting of the at least oneparameter to be measured.

For conveying the medium, the internal part includes a measuring tube10, here a single, curved measuring tube 10, which is caused to vibrateduring operation and, as a result, is repeatedly elastically deformed toexecute oscillations about a static rest position. The measuring tube10, and, as a result, also the centroidal line of the measuring tube 10,which connects the centres of mass (centroids) of the cross-sectionalareas of measuring tube, extending imaginarily within the lumen, canfor, example, be embodied essentially in Ω or U shape, or, as shown inFIG. 2, essentially with a V shape. Since the measuring transducershould be usable for a multiplicity of different applications,especially in the field of industrial measurements and automationtechnology, it is further provided that the measuring tube, depending onthe application of the measuring transducer, has a diameter lying in therange between about 1 mm and about 100 mm.

For minimizing disturbing influences acting on the measuring tube 10, aswell as also for reducing oscillatory energy transferred from themeasuring transducer to the connected pipeline, a counteroscillator 20is additionally provided in the measuring transducer. This is, as alsoshown in FIG. 2, arranged separated laterally from the measuring tube 10in the measuring transducer and affixed to the measuring tube 10 in eachcase with the forming of an inlet-side first coupling zone 11#,basically defining an inlet end of the measuring tube 10, and with theformation of a second coupling zone 12# on the outlet-side, essentiallydefining an outlet end of the measuring tube 10. The counteroscillator20, which in the illustrated example of an embodiment is arrangedextending essentially parallel to the measuring tube 10, especially alsocoaxially thereto, can also be embodied, for example, tubularly or alsoessentially with box shape. For the latter case, the counteroscillator20 can be formed, as also illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, by meansof plates arranged on the left and right sides of the measuring tube 10.

As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3, the counteroscillator20 is mounted by means of at least one inlet-side, first coupler 31 atthe inlet end 11# of the measuring tube 10 and by means of anoutlet-side, second coupler 32, especially a coupler 32 essentiallyidentical to the coupler 31, at the outlet end 12# of the measuring tube10. Serving as couplers 31, 32 can, in such case, be e.g. simple nodeplates, which are secured in corresponding manner on the inlet-side andoutlet-side, in each case, to the measuring tube 10 and to thecounteroscillator 20. Additionally, it is possible, as in the case ofthe example of an embodiment shown here, to have completely closed boxesformed in each case on the inlet-side and outlet-side by means of nodeplates mutually separated from one another in the direction of thelongitudinal axis together with protruding ends of the counteroscillator20, or, as required, to have also partially open frames, serve ascoupler 31, respectively coupler 32.

For allowing the medium to be measured to flow through, the measuringtube 10 is additionally connected to the pipeline (not shown) supplyingthe medium, and, then, conveying it away, via a first connecting tubepiece 11 opening on the inlet-side in the region of the first couplingzone 11# and via a second connecting tube piece 12, especially oneessentially identical to the first connecting tube piece 11, opening onthe outlet-side in the region of the second coupling zone 12#, with eachof the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12 having tube segments which areessentially straight. Advantageously, the measuring tube 10 and the twoconnecting tube pieces 11, 12 can be embodied as one piece, so that, fortheir manufacture, e.g. a single tubular stock can be used. Instead ofmeasuring tube 10, inlet tube piece 11, and outlet tube piece 12, beingformed by segments of a single, one-piece tube, these can, in caserequired, however, also be manufactured by means of separate,subsequently joined, e.g. welded together, stock, or pieces of stock.For manufacturing the measuring tube 10, it is furthermore appropriateto use practically any of the materials usual for such measuringtransducers, e.g. steel, Hastelloy, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, etc.

As additionally shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transducer housing 100,especially one which is bending- and torsion-stiff in comparison tomeasuring tube 10, is affixed, especially rigidly, to an inlet end ofthe inlet-side, connecting tube piece 11 distal with reference to thefirst coupling zone #11, as well as to an outlet end of the outlet-side,connecting tube piece 12 distal with reference to the first couplingzone #11. Thus, as a result, the entire internal part is not onlycompletely encased by the transducer housing 100, but, as a result ofits own mass and the resilience of both connecting tube pieces 11, 12,also held oscillatably in the transducer housing 100. Additionally toaccommodating the internal part, the transducer housing 100 can alsoserve for holding an electronics housing 200 of the inline measuringdevice with measuring device electronics accommodated therein. For thecase in which the measuring transducer is to be mounted releasably withthe pipeline, additionally, a first flange 13 is formed on theinlet-side, connecting tube piece 11 at an inlet end and a second flange14 on the outlet-side, connecting piece 12 at an outlet end. The flanges13, 14 can, in such case, as is quite usual for measuring transducers ofthe described kind, also be integrated into the transducer housing 100,at least partially, on the ends thereof. In case required, theconnecting tube pieces 11, 12 can also, however, be connected directlywith the pipeline, e.g. by means of welding or brazing.

During operation of the measuring transducer, the measuring tube 10, asusual in the case of such measuring transducers of vibration type, is soexcited to cantilever, or wagging, oscillations at an exciter frequencyf_(exc) that it deflects in essentially a natural, firsteigenoscillation form in the so-called wanted mode, oscillating aboutthe longitudinal axis L of the measuring transducer. As a result ofthis, thus, the measuring tube 10 executes during operation, at least attimes, bending oscillations relative to counteroscillator 20 andlongitudinal axis L. At the same time, also the counteroscillator 20 isexcited to cantilever oscillations and indeed so such that it, at leastin part, oscillates out of phase with, especially essentially withopposite phase to, the measuring tube 10 oscillating in the wanted mode.Especially, measuring tube 10 and counteroscillator 20 are, in suchcase, so excited that they execute during operation, at least at timesand at least in part, bending oscillations of equal frequency butessentially opposite phase about the longitudinal axis L. The bendingoscillations can, in such case, be so developed that they are of equalmodal order and consequently, at least in the case of resting fluid,essentially of equal form. In other words, measuring tube 10 andcounteroscillator 20 move then in the manner of tuning fork tinesoscillating oppositely to one another. In a further embodiment of theinvention, the exciter, or also wanted mode, frequency f_(exc) is, insuch case, so tuned that it corresponds, as much as possible, exactly toa natural eigenfrequency of the measuring tube 10, especially a lowestnatural eigenfrequency of the measuring tube 10. In the case of anapplication of a measuring tube manufactured from stainless steel with anominal diameter of 29 mm, a wall thickness of about 1.5 mm, a stretchedlength of about 420 mm, and a bridge length of about 305 mm measuredfrom inlet end #11 to outlet end 12#, the lowest resonance frequency ofthe same would amount, for example, at a density of practically zero,e.g. in the case of a measuring tube filled completely with air, toabout 490 Hz. Advantageously, it is further provided that also a lowestnatural eigenfrequency f₂₀ of the counteroscillator 20 is about equal tothe lowest natural eigenfrequency f₁₀ of the measuring tube and as aresult also about equal to the exciter frequency f_(exc).

For producing mechanical oscillations of the measuring tube 10 and thecounteroscillator 20, the measuring tube further includes an excitermechanism 40, especially an electrodynamic exciter mechanism. Thisserves for converting an electric exciter energy E_(exc), e.g. onehaving a controlled current and/or a controlled voltage, fed, forexample, by a control electronics (not shown) of the above mentionedCoriolis mass flow meter and accommodated in electronics housing 200,into an exciter force f_(exc) acting, e.g. in pulse or harmonic form, onthe measuring tube 10 and deflecting this in the aforementioned manner.Controls suitable for the adjusting of the exciter energy E_(exc)include the control electronics shown e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,833,U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,897, U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,911 or U.S. Pat. No.5,009,109. The exciter force f_(exc) can, as usual for measuringtransducers of such type, be developed bidirectionally orunidirectionally and, in the manner known to those skilled in the art,be tuned e.g. by means of a current and/or voltage control circuit withrespect to its amplitude and e.g. by means of a phase locked loop withrespect to its frequency. The exciter mechanism 40 can be e.g. a simplesolenoid arrangement having a cylindrical exciter coil connected to thecounteroscillator 20 and flowed-through during operation by acorresponding exciter current and including a permanently magneticarmature plunging, at least at times, into the exciter coil and affixedexternally, especially at the halfway point on the measuring tube 10.Additionally, e.g. also an electromagnet can serve as the excitermechanism 40.

For detecting oscillations of the measuring tube 10, the measuringtransducer additionally includes a sensor arrangement 50. Sensorarrangement 50 can be practically any sensor arrangement usual for suchmeasuring transducers for registering the movements of the measuringtube 10, especially movements on the inlet-side and on the outlet-sideand converting such into corresponding sensor signals. Thus, the sensorarrangement 50 can, e.g. in manner known to those skilled in the art, beformed by means of a first sensor 51 arranged on the measuring tube 10on the inlet-side and a second sensor 52 arranged on the measuring tube10 at the outlet-side. The sensors can be e.g. electrodynamic velocitysensors relatively measuring the oscillations or, however, alsoelectrodynamic path sensors or acceleration sensors. Alternatively to orin supplementation of the electrodynamic sensor arrangements, it is alsopossible to use, for detecting oscillations of the measuring tube 10,resistive or piezoelectric strain gauges or opto-electronic sensorarrangements. In case required, additionally, in manner known to thoseskilled in the art, other sensors used for the measuring and/oroperation of the measuring transducer, such as, e.g. additionaloscillation sensors arranged on the counteroscillator 20 and/or on thetransducer housing 100 can be provided (compare in this regard also U.S.Pat. No. 5,736,653) or, e.g. temperature sensors can be arranged on themeasuring tube 10, on the counteroscillator 20 and/or on the transducerhousing 100; compare in this connection also U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,384 orWO-A 00/102816.

For further improving signal quality of the sensor signals delivered bythe sensor arrangement and/or for obtaining additional oscillatoryinformation, a further development of the invention provides arranged atthe measuring tube 10, in addition to the two motion, or oscillation,sensors 51, 52, two additional oscillation sensors 53, 54 reacting tomovements of the measuring tube, so that, thus, the sensor arrangement50, as also shown schematically in FIG. 4, is composed of at least foursuch sensors. In such case, a third sensor 53 is placed likewise on theinlet-side on the measuring tube 10 and a fourth sensor 54 is placedlikewise on the outlet-side on the measuring tube 10. According to anembodiment of this further development of the invention, it is furtherprovided that the third sensor 53 is arranged in the region of the firstsensor 51, especially on the oppositely lying side of the measuring tube10, and the fourth sensor 54 is arranged in the region of the secondsensor 52, especially on the oppositely lying side of the measuring tube10. For the case illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein, in each case, the twoinlet-side sensors 51, 53 and the two outlet-side sensors 52, 54 arearranged vis-a-vis, thus lying directly opposite one another and, asseen in the oscillation direction, aligned with one another, it ispossible, in this way, especially in the case of serial connecting ofthe two, in each case, oppositely lying sensors 51, 53, respectively 52,54, to achieve, through a comparatively small extra effort in theimplementing of the sensor arrangement 50, among other things, asignificant, advantageous improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio foroscillation measurement signals delivered thereby. For simplifying boththe construction of the sensor arrangement 50 and also the evaluation ofthe oscillation measurement signals delivered thereby, according to afurther embodiment, it is additionally provided that the oscillationsensors forming the sensor arrangement 50 are essentially equal instructure.

For the case provided for operation, wherein the medium is flowing inthe pipeline and, consequently, the mass flow m is different from zero,the measuring tube 10 vibrating in the above described manner induces inthe through-flowing medium also Coriolis forces. These in turn act onthe measuring tube 10 and, so, effect an additional, sensoriallyregisterable deformation of the same essentially according to a natural,second eigenoscillation form. An instantaneous feature of this so-calledCoriolis mode superimposed with equal frequency on the excited, wantedmode is, in such case, especially with respect to their amplitudes, alsodependent on the instantaneous mass flow m. A second eigenoscillationform can be, as usual in the case of measuring transducers with curvedmeasuring tube, e.g. the eigenoscillation form of the antisymmetric,twist mode, thus that in which the measuring tube 10 executes, asalready mentioned, also rotational oscillations about an imaginaryvertical axis H directed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L andlying in a single plane of symmetry of the illustrated measuringtransducer.

For the quite usual and, as a result, to be expected case, that, duringoperation, the density of the medium flowing in the measuring tube, and,consequently accompanying therewith, also the mass distribution in theinternal part, changes considerably, the force equilibrium between thevibrating measuring tube 10 and the counteroscillator 20, likewisevibrating in the above described manner, is disturbed. When thetransverse forces resulting therefrom, acting in the internal part atequal frequency with the oscillations of the measuring tube 10 cannot becompensated, the internal part suspended on the two connecting tubepieces 11, 12 is deflected laterally from an assigned, static, installedposition. In this way, transverse forces can, at least in part, also acton the connected pipeline via connecting tube pieces 11, 12, by way ofwhich the measuring tube 10 communicates, as already mentioned, duringoperation with the pipeline and cause this, as well as also the inlinemeasuring device as such, to consequently vibrate as such in undesiredmanner.

Furthermore, such transverse forces can also lead to the fact that themeasuring tube 10 is, due to a, from oscillatory details point-of-view,non-uniform suspending of the internal part, or also of the entiremeasuring transducer, caused e.g. by practically unavoidablemanufacturing tolerances, excited additionally to disturbanceoscillations of equal frequency, for example, additional cantileveroscillations according to the second eigenoscillation form, which then,especially due to the fact of the equal oscillation frequency, are nolonger distinguishable practically sensorially from the actual Coriolismode.

Besides the lateral disturbance oscillations, the internal partsuspended in the transducer housing can additionally also executependulum-like oscillations about the longitudinal axis L, wherein thecoupling zones are rotated about the longitudinal axis and theconnecting tube pieces 11, 12 are twisted. In corresponding manner, alsothe two coupling zones and, consequently, also the two couplers 31, 32experience a corresponding torsional rotation about the longitudinalaxis L, i.e. also they oscillate and indeed, with respect to oneanother, in essentially opposite phase. In other words, the internalpart oscillatably held in the transducer housing has a pendulum-like,oscillatory mode, in which it moves as a pendulum during operation,accompanied by deformations of the two connecting tube pieces, at leastat times, about the imaginary longitudinal axis L. In such case, thevibrating measuring tube 10 and the counteroscillator 20 additionallyexecute common pendulum-like movements about the longitudinal axis Lwhich are essentially of equal phase, at least at resting medium, to oneanother and to the cantilever oscillations of the counteroscillator 20,provided that a mass m₂₀ of the counteroscillator 20 is smaller than aninstantaneous total mass of the measuring tube 10 conveying the medium.For the opposite case, that the total mass of the measuring tube 10conveying the medium is smaller than the mass of the counteroscillator20, these pendulum-like motions of the internal part can be embodiedwith equal phase to the cantilever oscillations of the measuring tube10.

On the other hand, however, the internal part suspended oscillatably inthe transducer housing 100 has itself at least one lateral oscillationmode determined predominantly by the bending spring stiffness of theconnecting tube pieces 11, 12, as well as its instantaneous total mass.In this lateral oscillation mode, the internal part would, accompaniedby corresponding bending deformations of the two connecting tube pieces11, 12, oscillate in resonance, during operation, relative to thetransducer housing 100 and laterally about the longitudinal axis L, tothe extent that it is correspondingly pushed against, to so excite it.Equally, the internal part also has at least one natural, pendulum-like,oscillatory mode, determined primarily by the torsional spring stiffnessof the connecting tube pieces 11, 12, as well as an instantaneous totalmoment of inertia about the longitudinal axis L, in which it moves, tothe extent that it is correspondingly excited, in resonance as apendulum during operation, accompanied by corresponding deformations inthe form of twisting of the two connecting tube pieces about theimaginary longitudinal axis L.

Luckily, it is possible, as already discussed in U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098, to transform also the residual transverse forces affectingthe lateral oscillation mode of the internal part by suitable tuning ormatching of the connecting tube pieces 11, 12 and the internal partlargely into much less critical pendulum-like oscillations of the entireinternal part about the longitudinal axis L and as a result to largelyprevent the otherwise damaging lateral oscillations of the internalpart. For such purpose, it is necessary to adjust (by appropriatedimensioning of the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12, as well as thetwo couplers 31, 32) only one natural eigenfrequency, f₁, of the firsttorsional oscillator formed on the inlet-side by means of the connectingtube piece 11 and the coupler 31, defining essentially the inlet-sidecoupling zone 11#, and one natural eigenfrequency, f₂, of the secondtorsional oscillator formed equally by means of the connecting tubepiece 12 and the coupler 32, defining essentially the outlet-sidecoupling zone 11#, in such a manner that the two eigenfrequencies, f₁,f₂, are about equal to the exciter frequency, f_(exc), at which themeasuring tube 10, at least predominantly, oscillates; compare in thisconnection also U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,098. As a result of possiblependulum-like oscillations of the internal part at the wanted frequency,f_(exc), the two aforementioned torsional oscillators are then caused tooscillate torsionally about the longitudinal axis L. For adjusting theeigenfrequencies, f₁, f₂, an inlet-side mass moment of inertia (hereessentially provided by means of the inlet-side coupler 31) about thelongitudinal axis L and a torsional stiffness of the associatedconnecting tube piece 11, as well as an outlet-side mass moment ofinertia (here provided essentially by means of the coupler 32) about thelongitudinal axis L and a torsional stiffness of the outlet-sideconnecting tube piece 12 are to be correspondingly tuned to one another.In the case of the measuring transducer illustrated here, besides thenode plates and the, in each case, terminally protruding, plate ends,also those tube segments extending between the two respective nodeplates of the couplers 31, 32 are to be appropriately taken intoconsideration in the sizing of the mass moment of inertia for the tuningof the inlet-side torsional eigenmode.

On the basis of a tuning of wanted mode and torsional eigenmode in thedescribed manner, it is achieved that the internal part which movesduring operation in the manner of a pendulum with equal frequency withthe measuring tube 10 oscillating at the exciter frequency f_(exc),practically exactly drives the inlet-side and outlet-side torsionaloscillators in an intrinsic eigenmode. For this case, the two torsionaloscillators, oscillating at their respective eigenfrequencies, f₁, f₂,and also compelled to have equal phase with the internal part, opposeits torsional oscillations with practically no, or only very small,counter moments. Consequently, the internal part is so rotationallysoftly journaled during operation that it can be considered as beingpractically completely decoupled as to oscillations from the twoconnecting tube pieces 11, 12. On the basis of the fact that theinternal part, despite a practically complete decoupling, moves as apendulum during operation about the longitudinal axis L and does notrotate, then also no total rotational impulse of the internal part canexist. Consequently, however, also a lateral total impulse, almostdirectly dependent on the total rotary impulse, especially in the caseof similar mass distributions in the measuring tube 10 and thecounteroscillator 20, and, consequently, also dependent therefrom,lateral impulses, which can be transmitted from the internal part to theoutside, are likewise both practically equal to zero. For the desiredcase, thus that the pendulum movement of the internal part occurs duringoperation in the range of the respective instantaneous eigenfrequenciesof the two torsional oscillators, the measuring tube can execute apendulum-like motion, together with the counteroscillator, practicallyfree of transverse forces and torsional moments about the longitudinalaxis L. As a result, in the case of this balance, or also decoupling,mechanism, density dependent imbalances lead primarily to changes ofoscillation amplitudes solely of the pendulum-like oscillations of theinternal part, however, in any case to negligibly small lateraldisplacements of the same out of the installed static position assignedto it. As a result of this, the measuring transducer can be dynamicallybalanced within a comparatively broad working range, largelyindependently of the density ñ of the fluid and, so, its sensitivity tointernally produced transverse forces can be significantly decreased.

In order, beyond this, to implement an as robust as possible decouplingof the internal part of the measuring transducer also from disturbingin-couplings on the part of the measuring tube 10, especially also toassure that the internal part itself begins to oscillate in the mannerof a pendulum as much as possible exclusively due to the actingdecoupling mechanism and as much as possible not due to the excitings ofother eigenresonances, a further embodiment of the invention providesthat at least one natural eigenfrequency of its pendulum-likeoscillation mode is smaller than a lowest oscillation frequency withwhich the measuring tube 10 is caused to vibrate instantaneously, forexample, thus, the wanted frequency f_(exc). For this, the internal partis additionally so embodied that at least a lowest instantaneous naturaleigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internalpart is always smaller than the instantaneously lowest naturaleigenfrequency of the measuring tube 10.

As a result of the fact that the decoupling mechanism implemented in theproposed manner rests essentially on a more structural tuning of theaforementioned torsional oscillators and the internal part, a tuningwhich during operation can practically not be changed from the exterior,naturally quite a very small detuning is to be expected on the basis ofchanging characteristics of the medium as compared to conventionalmeasuring transducers without the above described decoupling mechanism.These parameters relevant for the tuning can be, besides the density,for example, the viscosity of the medium and/or its temperature and, inaccompaniment therewith, the temperature of the internal part itself. Inorder also, for such cases, to be able to provide a measuring transduceras well balanced as possible, a further embodiment of the inventionprovides that the internal part is so sized that a naturaleigenfrequency of its pendulum-like oscillatory mode is smaller than alowest oscillation frequency with which the measuring tube 10 vibratesinstantaneously or that at least an instantaneous natural eigenfrequencyof the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part is alwayssmaller than an instantaneously lowest natural eigenfrequency of themeasuring tube 10. It has been found in this case that a ratio of thelowest eigenfrequency of the measuring tube 10 to the lowesteigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internalpart should be greater than 3 and, conversely, does not need to begreater than 20. It has, in this case, additionally been found that formost cases of application it can be sufficient that this ratio of thelowest eigenfrequency of the measuring tube 10 to the lowesteigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of the internalpart is kept in a comparatively narrow working range about between 5 and10.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the internal partand the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12 are so tuned to one anotherthat the lateral oscillatory mode of the internal part exhibits a lowesteigenfrequency which is greater than a lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part. Especially it isprovided in such case, that the internal part and the two connectingtube pieces 11, 12 are so matched to one another that a ratio of thelowest eigenfrequency of the lateral oscillatory mode of the internalpart to the lowest eigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory modeof the internal part is greater than 1.2. Additionally, it is providedthat this ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateral oscillatorymode of the internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part is so tuned that itis smaller than 10. It has additionally been found in such case that,for most cases of application, it can be sufficient to keep this ratioof the lowest eigenfrequency, f_(L), of the lateral oscillatory mode ofthe internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency, f_(p), of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of the internal part in a relativelynarrow working range between about 1.5 and 5.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is additionallyprovided that the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12 are so oriented withrespect to one another as well as with respect to a longitudinal axisimaginarily connecting the two coupling zones 11#, 12# that the internalpart, accompanied by twistings of the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12,can move in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis L. Forthis purpose, the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12 are to be sodirected with respect to one another that the essentially straight tubesegments extend essentially parallel to the imaginary longitudinal axisL, as well as being essentially aligned to this and to one another.Since the two connecting tube pieces 11, 12 in the example of anembodiment illustrated here, are embodied essentially straight overtheir entire length throughout, they are, accordingly, directedessentially aligned entirely with one another, as well as with theimaginary longitudinal axis L. According to an embodiment of theinvention, it is furthermore provided that, as a compromise betweenoptimum spring action and acceptable installed size of the measuringtransducer, on the one hand, a length of each of the connecting tubepieces 11, 12 corresponds in each case at most to 0.5 times a shortestseparation between the two coupling zones 11#, 12#. In order to be ableto provide as compact a measuring transducer as possible, each of thetwo connecting tube pieces 11, 12 has especially a length, which is, ineach case, smaller than 0.4 times the shortest separation between thetwo coupling zones.

For improving the above-described decoupling mechanism, thecounteroscillator 20, in a further embodiment of the invention, isessentially made heavier than the measuring tube 10. In a furtherdevelopment of this embodiment of the invention, in such case, a ratioof the mass, M₂₀, of the counteroscillator 20 to a mass, M₁₀, of themeasuring tube 10 is made greater than two. Especially, measuring tube10 and counteroscillator 20 are additionally so embodied that the latterhas a mass, M₂₀, which is also greater than a mass of the measuring tube10 filled with the medium to be measured. In order that thecounteroscillator 20, in spite of its comparatively high mass, M₂₀, hasan eigenfrequency which lies about at the eigenfrequency of themeasuring tube excited in the wanted mode, or at least in its range, thecounteroscillator 20 is additionally so embodied, at least in the caseof this embodiment of the invention, that it is, in correspondingmanner, as well, bending-stiffer than the measuring tube 10.

For implementing the counteroscillator 20, especially one which is alsomore heavily, equally, however, also more bending-stiffly embodied, andfor simplified tuning of the same to the measuring tube 10 and/or theterminal torsional oscillators in the described manner, it isadditionally provided that the counteroscillator 20 is at leastpartially formed by means of plates 21, 22 arranged laterally to themeasuring tube 10. In the case of the example of an embodiment shownhere, the counteroscillator is formed by means of at least two curvedcounteroscillator plates 21, 22, of which a first counteroscillatorplate 21 is located to the left of measuring tube 10 and a secondcounteroscillator plate 22 is arranged to the right of the measuringtube 10. Each of the at least two, here, essentially formed bow-, orhanger-, like, counteroscillator plates 21, 22 has an outer lateralsurface, of which a first edge is formed by an edge providing a contourdistal with reference to the longitudinal axis and a second edge isformed by an edge providing a contour proximal with reference to thelongitudinal axis. In the example of an embodiment illustrated here,additionally, each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21, 22forming the counteroscillator 20 is arranged essentially parallel to themeasuring tube 10. In a further embodiment of the invention, each of theat least two counteroscillator plates 21, 22 is furthermore so embodiedand so placed in the measuring transducer relative to the measuring tube10 that both the distal, as well as also the proximal contour providingedge of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21, 22, atleast in the region of a central section of the counteroscillator 20 hasa separation from the longitudinal axis L different from zero.

As also illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, furthermore, each of the at leasttwo counteroscillator plates 21, 22 is so embodied that, at least in theregion of a central section of the counteroscillator 20, a local plateheight is in each case smaller than, in each case, in the region of thetwo coupling zones. The local plate height corresponds in such case, ineach case, to a smallest separation which on a selected location of thecorresponding counteroscillator plates is measured between the distaland the proximal contour-providing edge of each of the at least twocounteroscillator plates 21, 22. According to a further development ofthe invention, each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21, 22has additionally, in the region of the central section of thecounteroscillator 20, a smallest plate height. Further, it is providedthat the plate height of each of the at least two counteroscillatorplates 21, 22, in each case, decreases starting from a coupling zone andmoving toward the central section of the counteroscillator 20.

In a further embodiment of the invention, each of the at least twoplates 21, 22 forming the counteroscillator 20 has an essentiallyhanger-shaped contour or silhouette. In corresponding manner, acentroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21,22 imaginarily extending between a contour line distal with reference tothe longitudinal axis L and a contour line proximal with reference tothe longitudinal axis is likewise so-curved. As explained with respectto the measuring tube, the imaginary centroidal line of each of saidplates connects centroids of its respective cross-sectional areas. Onthe basis of the hanger-shaped form of the counteroscillator 20, thecentroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21,22 has a concave curvature at least in the range of a central sectionwith reference to the longitudinal axis and a curvature convex withreference to the longitudinal axis at least in the region of thecoupling zones.

Measuring tube 10 and counteroscillator 20 are, as already mentioned, asrequired, to be so embodied that they, in the case of an externalspatial form as similar as possible, also have equal, or at leastmutually similar, mass distributions. In a further embodiment of theinvention, it is, therefore, provided that the plates 21, 22 forming thecounteroscillator 20 and, as a result, also the counteroscillator 20itself, have a curvature essentially comparable with, or at leastsimilar to, that of the curved measuring tube. Equally, also thecentroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21,22 is essentially equally as curved, at least in the region of a middlesection of the counteroscillator, as is the measuring tube 10.Accordingly, the counteroscillator plates 21, 22 forming thecounteroscillator 20 and consequently both the counteroscillator 20 aswell as also the entire internal part, have, in the example of anembodiment shown here, essentially a U-shaped or V-shaped, curvedsilhouette. Equally, in this example of an embodiment, also thecentroidal line of each of the at least two counteroscillator plates 21,22 is formed essentially U or V-shaped, at least in the region of amiddle section of the counteroscillator 20 situated between the twocoupling zones. In a further embodiment, the counteroscillator plates21, 22 are additionally so formed and so arranged with reference to themeasuring tube 10 that the centroidal line of each of the at least twocounteroscillator plates 21, 22 extends essentially parallel to thecentroidal line of the measuring tube 10 extending imaginarily inside ofits lumen.

By a combination of hanger-shaped contour of the counteroscillator 20,on the one hand, and the plate height tapering toward the center, on theone hand, the counteroscillator 20, and, as a result, also the internalpart, can be adjusted very simply both with respect to the massdistributions, especially the relative positions of the centers of mass,M₁₀, M₂₀, as well as also largely independently thereof, with respect tothe above stated eigenfrequencies f₂₀, f_(L), f_(p). Beyond this, alsothe decoupling mechanism implemented by means of the terminal torsionaloscillators can in this way be tuned largely independently of theaforementioned criteria, since, on the one hand, indeed, the protrudingends of the counteroscillator plates together with the utilized nodeplates provide the predominant contribution to the required mass momentof inertia, and, on the other hand, however, their height can, in eachcase, be suitably selected within wide limits, essentially withoutinfluencing the above mentioned other oscillatory characteristics of thecounteroscillator 20.

It has, further, been found, that, in the case of measuring transducersof the described kine, especially also in the implementing of theabove-described decoupling mechanism, not only the rotationally soft,mechanical coupling of the internal part to the transducer housing andthe connected pipeline is of importance. Surprizingly, it also dependsespecially on assuring that, during operation, those moments resultingfrom the motion of the vibrating measuring tube are, as much aspossible, in each case, introduced into the terminally located couplingzones at the same angle of attack as are those moments produced by thelikewise vibrating counteroscillator. However, it has additionally beenfound that, as a result of fluctuating density of the medium, a quitesignificant angle mismatch can arise between the angles of attack.

In order to hold this practically unavoidably fluctuating, angularmismatch as much as possible within boundaries which can be handled forthe desired working range, measuring tube 10 and counteroscillator 20are, in the case of the measuring transducer of the invention, soembodied and so oriented with respect to one another that both a centerof mass, M₁₀, of the measuring tube 10 spaced from the imaginarylongitudinal axis L, as well as also a center of mass, M₂₀, of thecounteroscillator 20 spaced from the imaginary longitudinal axis L, lie,as shown schematically in FIG. 3, in a region of the measuringtransducer spanned in common by the imaginary longitudinal axis L andthe measuring tube 10. Moreover, measuring tube 10 and counteroscillator20 are furthermore so embodied and so oriented with respect to oneanother that, at least in the rest position, the center of mass, M₁₀, ofthe measuring tube 10 is farther from the longitudinal axis L than thecenter of mass, M₂₀, of the counteroscillator. According to a furtherembodiment of the invention, it is additionally provided that each ofthe two aforementioned centers of mass, M₁₀, M₂₀, has a separation fromthe imaginary longitudinal axis which is greater than 10% of a greatestseparation measurable between measuring tube 10 and the imaginarylongitudinal axis L. For an implementing of the measuring transducerwith usual installation measures, this would mean, practically, thateach of the centers of mass, M₁₀, M₂₀, has a distance from the imaginarylongitudinal axis L greater than 30 mm. Additionally, it has been foundthat a ratio of the separation of each of the centers of mass, M₁₀, M₂₀,to the diameter of the measuring tube 10 should be, in each case,greater than one, especially at least two. Additionally, it was possibleto discover that it can be of advantage, when each of the centers ofmass, M₁₀, M₂₀, has a separation from the imaginary longitudinal axis Lwhich is smaller than 90% of the greatest separation between measuringtube 10 and imaginary longitudinal axis L. According to a furtherembodiment of the invention, it is, therefore, additionally provided,that the ratio of the separation of each of the centers of mass, M₁₀,M₂₀, to the diameter of the measuring tube 10 is in each case greaterthan 2 and smaller than 10.

By the displacement of the centers of mass in the aforementioned manner,the working range of the measuring transducer can be markedly increased,especially also in comparison to the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No.6,666,098, such that an angular mismatch between the two aforementionedangles of attack as a result of fluctuating medium density can be bothnegative as well as also positive, and consequently assumes absolutemagnitudes only about half as large and, as a result, is comparativelysmall. Consequently, also the density-dependent zero-pointinfluenceability of the measuring transducer can also be significantlydecreased.

In order to enable an as simple as possible matching of thecounteroscillator 20 to a mass or a mass distribution effective in thecase of the actual measuring tube 10, it is also possible to attach,especially releasably, to the counteroscillator 20 additionally massbalancing elements 21 serving as discrete, added masses. Alternativelyor in supplementation, a corresponding mass distribution can be realizedover the counteroscillator 20 also by the forming of longitudinal orannular grooves. A mass and/or mass distribution of thecounteroscillator 20, respectively the internal part, ultimately suitedfor the particular application can, without more, be initiallydetermined e.g. by means of finite element calculations and/or by meansof corresponding calibration measurements. The parameters then to beselected in the case of a concrete measuring transducer for optimumtuning of the inlet-side and outlet-side angles of attack, thuscorresponding masses, mass distributions, and/or mass moments of inertiaof measuring tube 10 and counteroscillator 20 and geometric dimensionsderived therefrom can be determined, e.g. in the manner known per se tothose skilled in the art, by means of finite element or other computerbased, simulation calculations coupled with corresponding calibrationmeasurements.

The measuring transducer of the invention is, due to its good dynamicbalancing, especially suited for application in a Coriolis mass flowmeter, a Coriolis mass flow/density meter, or in a Coriolis massflow/density/viscosity meter, as provided for media with densitiesfluctuating significantly during operation.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and forgoing description, such illustration and description isto be considered as exemplary not restrictive in character, it beingunderstood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and describedand that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit andscope of the invention as described herein are desired to protected.

33. A measuring transducer of a vibration type for a medium flowing in apipeline, comprising: a transducer housing; and an internal partarranged in said transducer housing, including at least a curvedmeasuring tube serving for the conveying of the medium and vibrating, atleast at times, during operation, and a counteroscillator affixedexternally to said measuring tube with the forming of a first couplingzone on an inlet-side of said measuring tube and a second coupling zoneon an outlet-side of said measuring tube; said internal part is mountedoscillatably in said transducer housing, at least by means of twoconnecting tube pieces via which said measuring tube communicates duringoperation with the pipeline, and which are so oriented with respect toone another, as well as with respect to an imaginary longitudinal axisof the measuring transducer, that said internal part can move, duringoperation, with pendulum-like motion about said longitudinal axis; andsaid counteroscillator is formed by means of at least twocounteroscillator plates, of which a first counteroscillator plate isarranged on a left side of said measuring tube and a secondcounteroscillator plate is arranged on a right side of said measuringtube.
 34. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33, wherein: eachof said at least two counteroscillator plates has a curved imaginarycentroidal line connecting centroids of cross-sectional areas of therespective counteroscillator plate.
 35. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 34, wherein: the centroidal line of each of said atleast two counteroscillator plates has, with reference to thelongitudinal axis of said measuring transducer, a concave curvature, atleast in a middle-section region; and/or the centroidal line of each ofsaid at least two counteroscillator plates has, with reference to thelongitudinal axis of said measuring transducer, in each case, a convexcurvature, at least in a coupling zone region; and/or the centroidalline of each of said at least two counteroscillator plates has anessentially U, or V shape, at least in a middle-section region of saidcounteroscillator; and/or the centroidal line of each of said at leasttwo counteroscillator plates extends essentially parallel to acentroidal line of said measuring tube extending imaginarily within itslumen.
 36. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33, wherein:each of said at least two counteroscillator plates includes an outer,lateral surface, of which a first edge is formed by a contour-providingedge distal with respect to the longitudinal axis, and a second edge isformed by a contour-providing edge proximal with respect to thelongitudinal axis.
 37. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 36,wherein: each of said at least two counteroscillator plates is soembodied and so placed in said measuring transducer that both thedistal, as well as also the proximal, contour-providing edge of each ofsaid at least two counteroscillator plates shows, at least in amiddle-section region of said counteroscillator, a separation from thelongitudinal axis different from zero.
 38. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 37, wherein: each of said at least twocounteroscillator plates is so embodied that, at least in the region ofa middle section of said counteroscillator, a local plate height is, ineach case, smaller than, in each case, in the region of the two couplingzones, wherein the local plate height thereat, in each case, correspondsto a smallest separation between the distal and proximalcontour-providing edges of each of said at least two counteroscillatorplates.
 39. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 38, wherein:each of said at least two counteroscillator plates is so embodied thatit has in the middle-section region of said counteroscillator a smallestplate height.
 40. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 39,wherein: each of said at least two counteroscillator plates is soembodied that the plate height of each of said at least twocounteroscillator plates, in each case, decreases, speciallymonotonically or continuously, starting from a coupling zone toward themiddle section of said counteroscillator.
 41. The measuring transduceras claimed in claim 33, wherein: said measuring tube and saidcounteroscillator are so formed and oriented with respect to one anotherthat both a center of mass of said measuring tube spaced from theimaginary longitudinal axis, as well as also a center of mass of saidcounteroscillator spaced from the imaginary longitudinal axis, lie in acommon region of the measuring transducer spanned by the imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring transducer and said measuring tube.42. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 41, wherein: saidmeasuring tube and said counteroscillator are so formed and orientedwith respect to one another that the center of mass of said measuringtube is spaced farther from the longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer than the center of mass of said counteroscillator.
 43. Themeasuring transducer as claimed in claim 42, wherein: each of thecenters of mass shows a separation from the imaginary longitudinal axiswhich is greater than 10% of a greatest separation between saidmeasuring tube and the imaginary longitudinal axis; and/or each of thecenters of mass has a separation from the imaginary longitudinal axiswhich is smaller than 90% of a greatest separation between saidmeasuring tube and the imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer.
 44. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33,wherein: each of the centers of mass shows a separation from theimaginary longitudinal axis which is greater than 30 mm.
 45. Themeasuring transducer as claimed in claim 44, wherein: a ratio of theseparation of each of the centers of mass to a diameter of saidmeasuring tube is, in each case, greater than 1 and/or a ratio of theseparation of each of the centers of mass to a diameter of saidmeasuring tube is, in each case, greater than 2 and smaller than
 10. 46.The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33, wherein: saidcounteroscillator has a mass which is greater than a mass of saidmeasuring tube.
 47. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 46,wherein: a ratio of the mass of said counteroscillator to the mass ofsaid measuring tube is greater than
 2. 48. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 33, wherein: said connecting tube pieces haveessentially straight tube segments.
 49. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 48, wherein: said connecting tube pieces are sooriented with respect to one another that the tube segments extendessentially parallel to the imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer.
 50. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 49,wherein: said connecting tube pieces are so oriented with respect to oneanother that the essentially straight tube segments align essentiallywith one another.
 51. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 50,wherein: said connecting tube pieces are so oriented with respect to oneanother that the essentially straight tube segments align essentiallywith the imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer. 52.The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33, wherein: said measuringtube and said counteroscillator execute, at least at times and at leastin part, bending oscillations of equal frequency about the longitudinalaxis of the measuring transducer.
 53. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 52, wherein: said measuring tube and saidcounteroscillator execute during operation, at least at times, bendingoscillations about the longitudinal axis which are of the measuringtransducer, at least in part, out of phase with one another, especiallyessentially of opposite phase.
 54. The measuring transducer as claimedin claim 33, wherein: said internal part held oscillatably in saidtransducer housing has a natural lateral oscillation mode in which itoscillates during operation, accompanied by deformations of said twoconnecting tube pieces, at least at times, relative to said transducerhousing and laterally about the longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer.
 55. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33,wherein: said internal part held oscillatably in said transducer housinghas a pendulum-like, oscillatory mode, in which it moves duringoperation in the manner of a pendulum, accompanied by deformations ofsaid two connecting tube pieces, at least at times, about the imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring transducer.
 56. The measuringtransducer as claimed in claim 55, wherein: at least a naturaleigenfrequency of the pendulum-like, oscillatory mode is smaller than alowest oscillation frequency with which said measuring tubeinstantaneously vibrates; and/or at least one instantaneous naturaleigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode is always smallerthan an instantaneous lowest natural eigenfrequency of said measuringtube; and/or a ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateraloscillatory mode of said internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is greater than1.2; and/or a ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateraloscillatory mode of said internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is smaller than10; and/or a ratio of the lowest eigenfrequency of the lateraloscillatory mode of said internal part to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is greater than1.5 and smaller than 5; and/or at least one natural eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is smaller thana lowest oscillation frequency with which said measuring tubeinstantaneously vibrates; and/or at least an instantaneous naturaleigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internalpart is always smaller than an instantaneously lowest naturaleigenfrequency of said measuring tube; and/or a ratio of a lowesteigenfrequency of said measuring tube to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is greater than3; and/or a ratio of a lowest eigenfrequency of said measuring tube tothe lowest eigenfrequency of the pendulum-like oscillatory mode of saidinternal part is smaller than 20; and/or a ratio of a lowesteigenfrequency of said measuring tube to the lowest eigenfrequency ofthe pendulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part is greater than5 and smaller than
 10. 57. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim33, wherein: said internal part held oscillatably in said transducerhousing has a pendulum-like oscillatory mode in which it moves in themanner of a pendulum, at least at times, about the imaginarylongitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, during operation,accompanied by deformations of said two connecting tube pieces; and thelateral oscillatory mode of said internal part has a lowesteigenfrequency which is greater than a lowest eigenfrequency of thependulum-like oscillatory mode of said internal part.
 58. The measuringtransducer as claimed in claim 33, further comprising: an excitermechanism for causing said measuring tube and said counteroscillator tovibrate.
 59. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim 33, furthercomprising: a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations, at leastof said measuring tube.
 60. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim59, wherein: said sensor arrangement for registering oscillations ofsaid measuring tube includes at least a first sensor arranged on theinlet-side at said measuring tube and a second sensor arranged on theoutlet-side at said measuring tube.
 61. The measuring transducer asclaimed in claim 60, wherein: said sensor arrangement for registeringoscillations of said measuring tube further includes at least a thirdsensor arranged on the inlet-side at said measuring tube and a fourthsensor arranged on the outlet-side at said measuring tube.
 62. Themeasuring transducer as claimed in claim 61, wherein: said first sensorlies opposite to said third sensor and said second sensor lies oppositeto said fourth sensor.
 63. The measuring transducer as claimed in claim33, wherein: each of the centers of mass shows a separation from theimaginary longitudinal axis which is smaller than 90% of a greatestseparation between said measuring tube and the imaginary longitudinalaxis; and/or each of said at least two counteroscillator plates shows acurved centroidal line imaginarily extending between a contour linedistal with reference to the longitudinal axis and a contour lineproximal with reference to the longitudinal axis; and/or each of said atleast two counteroscillator plates shows an bow, or hanger, shapedcontour; and/or each of said at least two plates forming saidcounteroscillator is arranged essentially parallel to said measuringtube; and/or a diameter of said measuring tube is greater than 1 mm andsmaller than 100 mm; and/or the longitudinal axis of the measuringtransducer imaginarily connects the two coupling zones together; and/orsaid measuring tube is embodied essentially in a U, or V, shape; and/orsaid measuring tube and said counteroscillator are mechanicallyconnected together on the inlet-side by means of at least a firstcoupler and on the outlet-side by means of at least a second coupler;and/or said measuring tube executes, during operation, at least attimes, bending oscillations relative to said counteroscillator andlongitudinal axis.
 64. The use of a measuring transducer as claimed inclaim 33, in an inline measuring device, especially a Coriolis mass-flowmeasuring device, density measuring device, and/or viscosity measuringdevice, which serves for measuring a medium flowing in a pipeline.